Copyright, Valerie Giles ©
"Grilling on the barbecue has never been
more exciting. Not only do barbecues come in a myriad of
designs and options, but also with the advent of popular
cooking shows, cooking books and magazines’, grilling
has reached a whole new dimension."
Grilling is no longer
just about steaks and burgers,
barbecue
grilling is full of adventurous and elegant recipes
and menu plans. Some of the tantalizing grilling
‘recipes have names like grilled mango blossom, grilled
portobello’s with avocado salsa and grilled beef
tenderloin with cabernet sauvignon sauce.
You’ll want to familiarize yourself with the barbecuing
grilling basics before you start. The two most popular
types of grilling are the indirect and direct grilling
methods. The indirect method is a slow cooking process
because less heat is used. One suggestion for indirect
cooking is to use a disposable drip pan or foil placed
underneath the food to be cooked, using tongs arrange
the coals around the pan. The food is cooked by the hot
air circulating around the food (similar to a convection
oven) this process is great for cooking roasts. It’s
always a good idea to check with your owner manual for
your specific
barbeque.
The direct grilling method is achieved by arranging the
coals (with long handled tongs) to spread evenly in a
single layer, extending about one inch beyond the area
of food. The food is then placed directly over fire. The
direct grilling method is fast because of the intense
heat and allows for quick browning on the outside of
foods. Direct grilling works best for food requiring
short cooking times, such as burgers and steaks. It’s
important to turn over food to allow cooking of both
sides.
The three most popular ways of adding flavor to your
selected grilling foods are with sauces, marinades and
rubs. The sauce can be said to define a great barbecue,
you can use a little sauce or a lot. A sample recipe for
sauce is this maple barbecue sauce; combine equal
amounts of maple syrup, ketchup and white wine add
garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, basil, ginger and chili
powder with a bay leaf, bring ingredients to a boil then
reduce and let simmer. A sauce should be brushed on in
the last five to ten minutes of grilling as the sugar
can cause the sauce to burn. There are a wide variety of
barbecue sauces and recipes available.
Marinades are another way to change a mediocre meal into
incredible. They are an excellent way to add flavor
while tenderizing and promoting crisp brown exteriors.
The three basic ingredients in marinades are flavorings
(herbs, spices and sweeteners), oils and acids (citrus
juices, wines, vinegars and yogurts). A simple marinade
recipe is the lemon rosemary marinade. Mix shredded
lemon peel, lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, white wine,
rosemary, salt and pepper and pour over your selected
meat, tofu, or vegetables in either a plastic sealable
bag or shallow dish and refrigerate for one to two
hours, remembering to shake bag or flip in dish half way
through marinating process.
Rubs are a wonderful bold blend of seasonings, which are
just as the name implies rubbed directly into the food.
The food is rubbed with spices prior to grilling,
transforming the rub into a crunchy brown crust that
seals in the juices and enhances the flavors. A very
basic rub recipe is this herb rub; equal amounts of
dried rosemary, dried thyme, dried minced onion, dried
minced garlic, with smaller amounts of salt and pepper
combine all ingredients in a food processor until
coarsely ground. Sprinkle mixture evenly over meat, then
rub in with fingers. Store in a covered container in the
refrigerator for 15 minutes to two hours, and then
grill.
When outdoor grilling there are a few simple things to
remember in order to avoid any contamination of food.
Any marinated food should be kept in the refrigerator
(not on the counter) to prevent giving bacteria a chance
to grow. Set some marinade aside at the beginning, and
never reuse any
marinade that has been used on raw meat. Always keep
vegetable and fruits separate from raw meat; utensils
and plates should also be washed before using. Be sure
to properly cook all meats. Serve food immediately, so
hot foods don’t have too much time to cool and to start
growing bacteria. Perishable foods should not be left
out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, and if
the outdoor temperature is more than 85 degrees or
hotter serve within an hour.
Grilling vegetable is an excellent way to bring out
seasonal flavors. Vegetables and fruits such as;
eggplant, bell peppers, summer squashes, sweet onions,
roma or cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, mangoes, pineapple
or peaches are all excellent choices for grilling. Cut
vegetables into half inch slices or large chunks. Brush
with some olive oil (may be seasoned with garlic or
other selected herbs). Grill the vegetables until
tender, turning only once. Fruit should be halved with
pits removed, and grilled until tender (no oil is
needed), with the pulp side down. Vegetable cooking
sprays or small amounts of oil will prevent the
vegetables from sticking (avoid spraying vegetable near
lighted grill). Marinating the vegetable beforehand also
makes the vegetables easier to handle and less likely to
stick to your grill surface.
Grilling corn on the cob cooked in the cornhusks
(without the corn silk) is a unique and tasty
alternative to boiled corn. Peel back cornhusks and put
butter and herbs around the corn. Fold over cornhusks
and tie with kitchen string. Grill the corn for
approximately thirty minutes, remembering to turn the
corn about three times.
A simple and elegant meal might consist of a grilled
pizza and some grilled fruit crisp for dessert. To grill
a pizza use a store bought Italian bread shell cover
with pesto, thinly sliced plum tomatoes, yellow
tomatoes, kalamata olives and basil (drizzling olive oil
over top). Use tin foil folded in half placing the pizza
on top folding up the edges of tin foil up to the edges
of the pizza. Using the indirect method of grilling,
grill the pizza for about 10 minutes. For the grilled
fruit crisp dessert, mix peaches, pineapple tidbits and
brown sugar spooning into a metal baking foil pan. Then
combine larger amounts of brown sugar, flour and butter
with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkling over top
of fruit mixture. Grill about fifty minutes (indirect
grilling method) or until hot and bubbly, serve with ice
cream if desired.
Outdoor grilling is a convenient and nice alternative to
cooking indoors. The options of menus are limitless.
Grilling is one of the easiest and most tantalizing low
fat ways of cooking. Whether you stick to the time
honored steak and burgers or go for something a bit more
adventurous, grilling is always a tasty and enjoyable
way to be outdoors with family and friends.
Resource Box:
_______________________
Valerie Giles owns and operates
Best BBQ Online , a resource
web site featuring
bbq
grills, bbq smokers, weber gas grills,
grill accessories
and rotisseries, bbq recipes and marinades and patio
heaters. Everything you need for the barbequing season.
http://www.best-bbq-online.com
Try some of our
Mouth Watering Recipes.
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